The subject matter disclosed herein relates to wind turbines and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for servicing a component of a wind turbine.
Alternative sources of energy are under development in order to meet the world's power demand. One such alternative energy source is wind power. Wind generators convert energy provided by air currents into electricity. The air currents rotate large rotor blades or propellers that are mounted in nacelles at the top of a tower. The blades spin a rotor relative to a stator to generate an electrical current. The rate of rotation is controlled by varying blade pitch as well as through the use of various braking systems. During high wind conditions, the blade pitch is adjusted to spill wind energy in order to limit rotational speed. Occasionally, the braking system is employed to further prevent the blades from achieving high rotational speeds. During low wind conditions, the blade pitch is adjusted in order to capture as much wind energy as possible.
Over time, the wind generators require maintenance. Debris, birds and the like oftentimes impact the blades and cause damage. In addition, blade bearings may require replacement in order to ensure continued proper operation. In order to effectuate these maintenance tasks, a large crane is required. More specifically, maintenance tasks such as blade and/or bearing replacement require the use of a large crane to lower the blade to the ground.